Con Corpses and Channel Chat Challenges
Outskirts of San Francisco, California "Lookout Mountain," said a western voice. "Not much to look at" it continued. But this was no ordinary voice, for it was coming from an unmanned wheel loader. The mustard and rust coloured loader has come to a stop on the third level of a four level excavation pit. It backs up, beeping to warn no one in particular, and drops its load off the side of the level. There's an arm, purple and black, sticking out. It is at this point that the Junkion transforms into his robot mode, and investigates further. "Don't worry, I'll get ya out of there. Bear with me." His voice is almost panicked, but it doesn't take long to realise that the mechanical being has long since been deactivated. Hauling him out of the crevice that it fell into, Maverick discovers a Decepticon corpse, most of one anyway. It's missing a hand, a leg, and looks like something took a bite out of its torso. As Maverick works on him, trying to figure out if there's anything worth salvaging, a little red light begins to glow and darken. Unbeknownst to him, he's triggered some kind of a homing beacon in an Insecticon clone... Space Shuttle is on patrol in the area when he picks up the signal. The Combaticon space shuttle downloads the coordinates and locks in, using the signal to guide him. Approaching a pit, the shuttle picks up the source of the signal- and a Junkion. What are one of THOSE doing here? Then again, this does appear to be a pile of junk below him, so it's probably not that surprising, is it? He circles around the sky, sweeping the area with his sensors. Firestar transforms into her Cybertronian Transport mode. Cybertronian Transport transforms into her robot mode. Jetfire is on his way back to Autobot City from checking on a few of his off-site experiments when he picks up on the signal. As he nears the source of the beacon, he picks up Blast Off on an approach vector toward a Junkion who appears to have excavated a corpse of sorts. Keeping his optics the Combaticon, he watches as Blast Off appears to circle the perimeter for now. He opens a commlink to the Maverick. <> Jetfire folds up, shifting into a technologically superior spacecraft. Combat: Tech Spaceship sets his defense level to Protected. Maverick looks up. He can't see Blast Off, or Jetfire, not from this distance. But he assumes that they're up there. His helmet's cheek lights up, as he sends back, on an open signal that the Decepticons should be able to pick up, <> Cybertronian Transport putters along peacefully, placidly and without pointed purpose, purusing pedestrian perimeters and poking purposefully into places previously purported to be packed with popping predators and pervy prowlers. She pops up and perplexes people pacing, pitter-pattering past and poking Maverick pointedly. "Pssst. Pack up, and prepare for punching." Space Shuttle picks up on Jetfire's signal as he circles around the Junkion. Then another Autobot seems to join the Junkion. Great, just great... is there ANYWHERE he can go without Autofool interference? No matter, he has a job to do. Retrieve that Decepticon corpse. If possible. Of course, Blast Off has no interest in doing anything foolish and JOINING the corpse, but he IS a superior spacecraft, so he's not too worried. He transforms and lands on a perch a distance up above Firestar and Maverick, calling out down to them. "That is Decepticon property. Give it to me at once." Blast Off shifts into his battle-ready robot mode. Combat: Blast Off sets his defense level to Protected. Slingshot soars down into view from the skies above. Slingshot has arrived. Shifting, contorting, and expanding; parts allign into Juggernaut's.. Gigantic Robotic Pillbug mode!! Rolling up beside Blast Off, from who knows where, Juggernaut's mandibles click-clack a bit until he settles down. "If you valued your health, you'd leave it be and move on." the Pillbug speaks, chattering a bit afterwards. He's a bug, they do that. Probably. <> Jetfire corrects the Junkion. He descends and lands near Blast Off, his guard up, although he doesn't attack just yet. "So, you are going to start a fight over a corpse?" he asks, raising an optic ridge at the Combaticon. "Or is there something more to this?" The vessel shifts into the biped form of Jetfire. Maverick turns to address Firestar, and blinks several times, hearing her pester him and the presently passed on, "Possibly prudent, but probably pessimistic." He gives it right back to her, with a wry grin. He turns, and dives, for no reason. He thought Blast Off was going to fire and meant to dive for cover, but there is no cover, and Blast Off doesn't seem to be hostile, not yet anyway. "Possession is nine tenths of the law. Besides, what would you do with it if I did give it to you? He's dead, Jim." Now joined by Jetfire, it would look like the Decepticon is outnumbered, severely. But then there is the Insecticon. "My health's just fine, and I aim to keep it that way." He steps aside, not really caring about the corpse. He figures it's not worth a firefight. "Now, this is no time for Muo Chuan Chia Jiung. Nobody's gonna die here," then looking at the corpse, "cept him, but he's already dead. Best we keep it that way." Stepping forward, he addresses the Decepticons a little more directly, "Sides, I don't know about you, but I don't trust the Yi Yuan in these parts." <> Slingshot buzzes over the Golden Gate Bridge, keeping a tight perimeter on the Decepticon encounter. <> The Aerialbot doesn't engage- his current objective is containment. Blast Off looks over as Juggernaut appears. Ugh, Insecticon. But at least it's a CON, and he finally has some reenforcements. "Indeed." The shuttleformer then watches as Jetfire draws near and lands. "If there was, do you think I would tell you?" he asks calmly. "I owe you nothing. This is merely a matter of decency. That is one of our own, we have every right to reclaim him. Wouldn't you want a fallen Autobot returned to YOU?" Then the Junkion goes on about....something, and Blast Off finds himself quite...confused. "What?" But he did pick up on one thing.... being a space shuttle (a very BORED space shuttle at times) he HAS actually seen a little of human televison while orbiting the planet with nothing else to do, and naturally recognizes the Star Trek reference. "Yes...he is dead. Now "beam yourself up" and let us obtain what is rightfully ours!" "No one cares what or who you trust, junkheap." Juggernaut nastily replies, transforming into his robot mode. With a fist slammed down during the transformation, the Insecticon rolls down the incline and rises into a lumbering approach. "You got something that belongs to us, specifically me." Giving the corpse an odd glance, it's Chatterbug, Juggernaut returns his glare to Maverick. "Unless you wanna refuse." he smiles, slamming a closed fist into his palm. "I love it when you idiots refuse." Robotic Pill-bug parts shift, condense, and fold away to reveal.. THE JUGGERNAUT!!! Firestar grabs at the axe handle poking out from her equipment rack mounted on her backside, pulling the weapon free and twirling the axe head about in idle hands. "Potentially... though power to the priss who prepares to plow through pontificating!" The femme looks up at Blast Off, pointing at him with her axe head. "Izzat right, 'Con? You're more than welcome to attempt liberating said property! I'd actually prefer it that way. It's been awhile since I sharpened this baby..." Jetfire smirks a little, finding this somewhat interesting. "I suppose it depends upon whom you are asking." he says in response to Blast Off's question. "But I never thought you Decepticons were the type to concern yourselves with giving your dead proper memorial rights, unless they were some high-ranking officer. And even then, I thought it doubtful. I suppose I was wrong." The Juggernaut says, "Geez, all this talking is giving me a headache." The Juggernaut says, "Can we just punch them in the mouths already?" Maverick nods his head, and holds his hands up, arms bent at the elbow, wrists high, "Yeah, it would be the decent thing to do, you got me there. But this dig ain't mine. It belongs to them." Yeah, he found it, but he wants to pin the blame on the Autobots. "You'd have to ask them," and he gestures to the Autobots, "About removing anything from their land." But then he glances towards Firestar, before turning his attention to the Decepticons, and asks aloud, "Is the Chiao Gu Niun speakin English?" Blitzwing says, "You're talking about Backfire and Blueshift, right?" The Juggernaut says, "No, this mouthy bot femme and 'er friends." Blast Off says, "We are outnumbered here, in case you didn't notice." Blitzwing says, "Mouthy femme is a redundant term." The Juggernaut says, "Hey, one on two ain't too bad of odds when I'm the one swingin'!" Scorn says, "What are you even doing out there, Juggernaut?" The Juggernaut says, "This junkpile found the remains of a dead Insecticon." Blitzwing says, "Speaking of mouthy femmes..." The Juggernaut says, "I'd say it's about recoverin' him and giving him a proper burial, but that'd be a lie." Scorn hisses softly. The Juggernaut says, "I just want to punch somethin'." Scorn says, "I wouldn't care even if it was, Jugg. He obviously was stupid enough to die, so don't bother wasting your time." Blitzwing says, "Okay, maybe mouthy's not the term. See, that's not even a word. Just hissing. Noisy. That's it! Noisy femmes." Blast Off watches as Juggernaut and Firestar start posturing and shakes his head. He looks imperiously down at Firestar and snarks, "Don't swing that stick around too much, you might hurt yourself." To Jetfire: "I would say you tend to be wrong on many things. This is one example. But you have the opportunity to make amends for your ignorance now, and give us the body." To Maverick, he just... stares a bit again. "This Chiao Gu...what? Why don't YOU speak something I could understand? Junkion...escapes me much of the time." He sniffs disdainfully. "And I don't think anything here belongs to the Autofools...certainly not one of our own." The Juggernaut says, "Blast Off, you suck." Scorn says, "Why are you even bothering talking to Bots in the first place?" Blast Off says, "I'm... talking to a Junkion, actually. It is a rather bizarre experience." Scorn says, "Dear Primus, a Junkion? That's even worse. That's like.. wasting your time on a clone." Blast Off says, "Probably true. But we are outnumbered.. and very close to Autofool strongholds. Renforcements will arrive quickly. I do not believe this is a situation to go in guns blazing... not yet, anyway." "Screw this." Juggernaut bites out, balling up a fist and stomping forward. "Yappity yap yap. Ain't nothin' but empty threats." Rearing the arm backward, the Insecticon throws it forward and aims to strike Firestar right in her mouth. "Now shut the hell up!!" Win, lose, or draw; Juggernaut then makes his way slowly towards the corpse. Combat: Juggernaut sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Juggernaut strikes Firestar with his Shaddup! (Kick) attack! The Juggernaut says, "Screw this." Blast Off says, ".... Why am I the only one here who understands finesse?" Blitzwing says, "Only because you were mistakenly built onto a female frame." Jetfire shrugs. "Fine, take the corpse, if it matters that much to you." The scientist gestures absently at the dead Decepticon, then folds his arms. He tenses up a bit when Juggernaut punches Firestar, but the Insecticon appears to just be after the corpse, as he continues past her. Firestar snorts in derision after Blast Off. "You're right. I might break it over your head and then my ego'd take a lump, that's for sure!" She looks back to Maverick, rolling optics and giving a shrug of shoulders. "Just load it up. These guys are all ta-" *WHAM!* Firestar takes a vicious right cross to the chin and goes tumbling, right into an abandoned building. Combat: Firestar takes extra time to steady herself. Pass The scientist then turns away from the others and makes his way over to Firestar to assess the damage done. Blast Off says, "Tell that to me when I'm part of Bruticus, and we'll see how "femme" you find me...." Blitzwing says, "Ha ha, that's right. Go run to Daddy Onslaught. He'll save you. You know, just like that one time - where he didn't? You remember." Maverick begins to speak slowly to Blast Off, as if he were a television character speaking to someone who couldn't speak English, "I... do not... want... to fight... you. I... am... stay.. ing.. out of this" But then Juggernaut picks a fight with Fierstar. "So much for keeping this civil." He reaches back into his shovel and pulls out a plasma-shell shotgun. He cocks it, and a shell goes flying. His weapon is loaded. But he doesn't seem ready to shoot anyone, not yet. Combat: Maverick sets his defense level to Protected. The Global Pose Tracker marks that Maverick has 'skipped' his action for this round. Blast Off says, ".... That was... it was... a fluke. Yes, a fluke." Blitzwing says, "Well let him know that I'd like to prove that it wasn't." Stomping up to the corpse, well what's sticking out of the ground anyways, Juggernaut transforms.. then begins to start digging away idly around it, attempting to keep it in the least amount of parts possible. Giving Maverick a look, the Insecticon can only smirk and laugh. "We both know you ain't gonna use that, junkscrap. Hell, you can't even figure out which side you're on." Shifting, contorting, and expanding; parts allign into Juggernaut's.. Gigantic Robotic Pillbug mode!! Blast Off watches as the situation predictably deteriorates. Firestar and Juggernaut go at it. The Combaticon considers joining in... he certainly doesn't mind a good fight, but... for a corpse? While outnumbered and close to an Autobot stronghold and reenforcements? He watches the others... Jetfire makes no move to fight, and Maverick... Hmmm. He stares again... Junkions are indeed ODD creatures.... but then he brings out a gun, so Blast Off responds in kind. "You were saying something about keeping this Civil, Junkion?" However, the Combaticon is still not sure this is all really worth it, so he doesn't fire at anyone ...yet... Blast Off says, "It would be my pleasure. But don't look to me when you need someone to transport you to medbay afterwards." Blitzwing says, "You won't. You'll be busy transporting Onslaught to his burial ground." Combat: Jetfire runs a diagnostic check on Firestar Blast Off says, "Big words. I seem to recall such empty boasts many times before, from many mechs. We Combaticons still stand, and we still fight. And we will emerge victorious." Blitzwing starts a slow clap. Blitzwing says, "Blast Off, what's 2+2?" Blast Off says, "Twenty-eleven." After a brief diagnostic scan, Jetfire determines that Firestar has only suffered minor cosmetic damage. An alert on his chronometer goes off suddenly, and he turns toward Juggernaut as he begins to dig the corpose out. It seemed the situation was taken care of. "Well then, I trust this situation has been handled. At the moment, I have a few matters of importance that I must attend to. Maverick, if you or Firestar require any further assistance, you may contact me on the comms." He nods to his allies, then transforms and flies off toward Metroplex. Jetfire folds up, shifting into a technologically superior spacecraft. Combat: Tech Spaceship begins retreating, outrunning all pursuit. Blitzwing says, "Alright, so what did we learn tonight, everyone? That's right. Bruticus has a retarded arm." Blast Off says, "No, Brawl is his LEG. At least try to get his limbs in correct order, Blitzwing. I suppose it's difficult for you, but I can get you some learning aids if they would help. You know, with primary colors and cute animals on them." Blitzwing says, "Keep talking. With Onslaught gone I'm going to be your new boss. And I'll remember that remark." Maverick gives Juggernaut a wide berth, letting him tend to his departed comrade. The rifle's trained on the living Insecticon, "I'm on the Junkion side. I may end up on the losing side, but you'll have a devil of a time convincin me that it's the wrong one." To Blast Off, he retorts, "Oh, this is me bein civil. When I'm not bein civil, I'll be sure to let you know, but chances are, you won't need me to explain it to ya." Blast Off says, "....." Blitzwing says, "Blitzicus. It's a got a ring to it." Blitzwing says, "Comblitzicons. Not so much." Blitzwing says, "Let me know if you come up with something. I may grant you a weekend off if you submit the winning entry." Blast Off says, "*small hissing noise, of someone supressing an urge to snark*" Having dug up the corpse, Juggernaut transforms into robot mode and throws it up from the hole he'd dug down. Climbing up a moment later, the Insecticon hefts it up on one shoulder and stomps away. "No one cares." he replies to Maverick. Up the steep bank, Juggernaut gives Blast Off a sneer before he walks off. Robotic Pill-bug parts shift, condense, and fold away to reveal.. THE JUGGERNAUT!!! Combat: Juggernaut begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Tech Spaceship , Blast Off, and Maverick Blitzwing says, "Now you sound like Scorn. See, I knew you were a femme." Blast Off watches Juggernaut leave and glares back as the bug sneers at him. He teen raises an optic ridge. "That... is the first thing you have said to me that has actually made sense, Junkion." With the corpse now gone, the Combaticon has no reason to stick around anymore, so he takes to the air, circles around, and leaves without another word. Blitzwing says, "Imma call you Babe Off from now on. How about that?" Blitzwing says, "Ah, it doesn't matter what you think. You can't even do simple addition." Blast Off says, "I can always add five together, just remember that." Blitzwing says, "Not with Daddy dead you won't." Blast Off says, "Again, big words...." Blitzwing says, "Not really. At most, two syllables." Blast Off says, "You know what I mean." Blitzwing says, "So, Babe Off. You like linking up with 4 guys?" Red Alert says, "I find this entirely too amusing." Blitzwing says, "I mention linking up with guys and look who perks up." Red Alert says, "Oh, don't let me interrupt your little squabble. It's quite pedestrian, Blitzwing." Blast Off says, "What is HE doing here????" Blitzwing says, "If it's so pedestrian, why bother wasting your time on it? Don't you have to interrogate Wheelie? I think that speech pattern of his is actually an elaborate code." Red Alert says, "I was hoping one of you idiots would say something useful on the channel, but I guess I was aiming a little too high when dealing with you two morons." Blitzwing says, "Ha ha. Really, you just wanted Babe Off's phone number." Blast Off says, "......" Blast Off says, "DO YOU SEE WHAT I HAVE TO PUT UP WITH?" Blitzwing says, "It's 1-800-733-78257" Blast Off says, "THAT'S A PRIVATE LINE! How did you even GET THAT? Great, now I have to go change all mys passwords...." Blitzwing says, "So you know, that is also a secret code. Have fun." Scorn laughs. Blast Off says, "Just remember, Blitzwing, you do not have space flight capability. I do. Guess who gets to cart around your triple-aft across the galaxy? Maybe next time we get stranded on some desolate planet filled with giant, mech-eating carnivores, I will simply FORGET to bring you back...." Blitzwing says, "As I recall, I was the only one of you miserable lot that even managed to kill one of those damn things." Blitzwing says, "You two just ran like a bunch of &%$$!@#$." Blast Off says, "It was *I* who blasted the way out of that cave, so we could escape. You stick around and get eaten, I do the sensible thing and find an exit. And it usually falls on me to do the smarter thing. It's a pattern I've noticed." Blitzwing says, "OR ~MAYBE~ I stick around, beat the crap out of them, domesticate them, and bring them a new toy to play with - you. I had it under control. You were the idiot that brought us there in the first place!" Blast Off says, "Because I wanted to know why the Autofools were there. Should I just "mosey on by" and let the Autfools do whatever they like, with no investigation, no challenge at all? Let them infest the galaxy (AS THEY ARE APPARENTLY INFESTING THIS CHANNEL)? And you did NOT have it under control, you were drunk! You threw up IN my cargo bay, remember?" Blitzwing says, "That's what you get for driving like shit." Blitzwing says, "I never throw up when Astrotrain's the DF." Blast Off says, "I'M A SPACE SHUTTLE, I DON'T DRIVE AT ALLLLLL." Blitzwing says, "I DIDN'T SAY DD" Scorn says, "To be fair, Astrotrain would punch anyone who threw up in him." Blast Off says, "I have my own...methods. Including ejecting fools who do something like that rather uncermoniously onto strange planets." Blitzwing says, "Another mark of a real mech. Another point against Babe Off over here." Blitzwing says, "Thanks for ruining my buzz, by the way." Blast Off says, "And the next time I am forced to transport you somewhere, I am going to LOUDLY play a little Earth song I discovered recently, on loop, the entire flight. I need to decide if it will be "It's a Small World, After All"... or something from this big purple dinosaur who dances and sings about "I love you, you love me..." It was torture." Blitzwing says, "How do you even know these songs? What kind of sick shit are you into?" Blast Off says, "No, it was.... Vortex, trying to annoy me. You know what he's like....." Blast Off says, "Speaking of a buzz, I could sure use one about now." Blitzwing says, "Big purple dinosaur... eh, Trypticon?" Blast Off says, "It could be! If he was...squishier." Blitzwing says, "Me, too. We could always hit up the Steel Balloon." Blast Off says, "Sounds good. I'll even take you there, if you like. Just... no throwing up in the cargo bay, naturally." Blitzwing says, "Well I'm not drunk YET" Blast Off says, "True... I wonder if I can find any more of that Black Tar of... whatever it was? Did I ever give you a taste of that?" Blitzwing says, "And don't dri-err, fly like shit. No worries." Blast Off says, "Understood." Blitzwing says, "That crap Vortex was hopped up on? Made your optics literally burn?" Blast Off says, "No- that was something else. I still haven't asked him what that was. I'm not sure I want to know. The Black Tar... well, if I can find some more (I know I have some stashed somewhere)...THAT is the good stuff." Blitzwing says, "Well I'm down for anything once." Blast Off says, "Indeed. Don't expect to go on duty soon afterwards, however. It will last...quite some time." Blitzwing says, "Ha, duty. What's that? Ha ha." Blast Off hehs.